This is actually pretty hilarious, because my information comes from a book called How Not to Die by Michael Greger, M.D.
Now, how did I end up buying this book? It was essentially prescribed by my primary care doctor. He didn’t literally write a script for it, so I wasn’t able to use insurance or anything, but he strongly recommended I buy the book and I did so. It’s chock full of cites: in fact, the endnotes citations add an additional 132 pages to a 400 page book!
BTW, the foods that Dr. Greger cites as lowering blood pressure as well or better than medication, BTW, are not broccoli but arugula, ground flaxseed, and hibiscus tea.* That’s individually: presumably in combination the effect is even stronger.
So I have a good young doctor who understands the importance of nutrition. But another doctor I admire, Andrew Weil, got his M.D. at Harvard but says that at least when he was coming up, there was very little training in medical school about nutrition.
But on a broad public health basis, I’m surprised you’re so sanguine about the notion that we can simply trust that most doctors will not lean unnecessarily toward drugs, even with all those junkets and pharmaceutical reps running around whispering in their ears. Do you really think Big Pharma is just wasting their money, and their efforts don’t result in physicicians prescribing their drugs more than they otherwise might? Maybe your British spelling indicates that you just aren’t familiar with how this plays out in the U.S. It’s a huge problem.
“while pharmaceutical companies are out to make a profit, the various socialised health systems out there pay for doctors who don’t have any interest to hide how such amazing (non existent) superfoods are just as good as meds, so funnily enough would just tell their patients to eat brocolli, get a bit more sun or whatever, if it was true.”
There’s no hidden “try this tip that doctors hate” bullshit because funnily enough doctors quite happily pass on obvious tips such as improving your diet and exercising more to reduce blood pressure, and that usually is the first thing they suggest unless the patient’s already at a dangerous level so they need to reduce it quickly. If you’re saying that this is not the case in America, then that is just one other reason you should change your ridiculous, overpriced system…but then by your own anecdote the only reason you found this out is because your doctor told you about it, and advised you to buy a book on nutrition as well.
Wasn’t sure where else to post this, but every time I think “I couldn’t love this politician more”, it keeps getting better. How is that even possible? The latest thing she did? Well… Okay, a little backstory. A youtuber I’m a big fan of, HBomberGuy, put on a charity marathon livestream trying to 100% Donkey Kong 64 (the only thing you really need to know about this is that it’s on the N64 and that it is legendarily awful, particularly in the 100% category) to raise money for Mermaids, a charity that provides support for transgender kids. He expected a few thousand. By the end of the 60 hours he spent beating the game, he was over 300,000 GBP.
…“best” is of course subjective. But I had more fun playing four-player games like Goldeneye, Duke Nukem 64, Perfect Dark, and single player games like Ocarina of Time than I ever had on any other platform. I even liked the controller, even if you couldn’t use it properly and press access all the buttons!
It’s basic hyperbole in youthful language to describe the feelings of her constituency. Figurative speech, not literal speech. Nobody literally thinks the world is going to end in 12 years due to climate change. Then you look into what the actual message was, and… Well, here’s her clarification.
For some reason GOP seems to think this is a gaffe, but it’s actually a generational difference.
Young people understand that climate change is an existential threat: 3,000 Americans died in Hurricane María.
The UN says we’ve got 12 years left to fix it:
So yeah, you’re just an uncharitable idiot. Even if she meant it entirely literally, I’ll take the person who wants to work hard on the single most pressing issue facing the world because she thinks it’s a bigger deal than it is over the asshole who claims it’s all a hoax in the face of all of the available evidence. As someone in that twitter thread put it: “Anyone with half a brain understands you don’t think the world is actually going to be over in 12 years. These so-called “critics” are little more than bad faith actors intent on subversion.” Hey look, Shodan! It’s you! That’s you! You’re a bad faith actor intent on subversion! Or you lack half a brain. Either way, wouldn’t surprise me.
Where does she get the idea Maria was caused by global warming and wasn’t a hurricane that would have occurred in any case?
People that cite one weather event as reason for believing in necessity of state action against global warming are on the same intellectual level as someone who walks outside today (it’s cold) and quips “Hey Al Gore, where’s your global warming now?”
It’s hilarious how many thirsty male AOC fans will cop pleas for her ridiculous statements. They overlap with people who clown Bernie for less absurdity. I think they should relieve themselves and give us all a break.
I’m sorry, but if you are pushing an agenda in which you commandeer billions of dollars in resources and inhibit many megawatts of fossil fuel energy production I expect a little bit more than rhetoric that is more appropriate for a Dr. Pepper commercial.
I’d rather not have to consult urban dictionary when trying to parse your policy proposals that will effect millions of people.
Perhaps she can buy pop-up ads on candy crush to mobilize her slack-jawed Xany popper demographic.
Is it because the climate is becoming less dangerous?
Is it because climate scientists now know very much more than they used to about how the weather works and can give us more accurate long range forecasts allowing people to get out of the way?
Me, I think it’s the second one, and that shit ain’t close. The REAL question is, how is it we are able to see just how much more scientists know about the weather, how many lives they save every year with their accurate forecasts, and still ignore their warnings on global warming.
Was AOC hyberbolic about the status of global warming, yes, and obviously so. Your issues with comprehension are your own.
It’s hilarious how much effort AOC critics put into deliberately misrepresenting and belittling her statements while simultaneously claiming she’s an insignificant nobody unworthy of attention. And “thirsty male”? Sounds like someone’s got issues. Did the scary lady trigger you?
I agree that it is the second one and I thank capitalism for providing fossil fuel technology so those scientists can work in air-conditioned buildings and sleep warm in their beds.
